Advertising sign



March 22, 1932- H. r. FENSOM'ET AL ADVERTISING SIGN Filed July 17. 1929 the tube passes and enclosed in the luminous frame.

Patented Mar. 22, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY TOWNSEND FENSOM AND RAYMOND GREEN, OF LOS AN GELES, CALIFORNIA, AS-

SIGNOBS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO CLAUDE NEON ELECTRICAL PRODUCTS COR- I PORATION, LTD, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE ADVERTISING SIGN Application filed m 17,

This invention relates to an advertising ign and refers particularly to a type of advertising sign placed in store windows or the like and carrying a small display legend.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a novel form of advertising sign which will be exceptionally attractive. It is also an object of the invention to provide an advertising sign in which a luminous display matter is pictured as enclosed in a luminous frame characterized by the fact that illumination of the display matter within the luminous frame is by a fraction of the light passed through an edge of crystal glass to the advertising matter which is cut into the glass.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a small plate of crystal glass is employed, i. e., a plate of very thick glass which is substantially free of imperfections, such as air bubbles. Y

The plate of crystal glass has cut or recessed therein, usually by a sand-blasting operation, the matter which is to be lumin pps e matter to be displayed may be formed by the recessing of the glass or to facilitate illumination, the recessed portions may be painted with luminous paint. Surrounding the plate of crystal glass thus provided is a luminous tube of the well-known neon type. This tube is placed against the edge of the plate of crystal glass so that in part the light from edgeways through the plate and strikes the walls of the recessed portions of the plate refracting light therefrom and rendering such recessed portions luminous.

Various further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from'the description of a preferred form or example of a luminous sign embodying the invention. For this purpose, there is hereafter described the preferred form or example of an advertising sign embodying the invention. The description is given in connection withthe accompanyin drawings, in which Flgure 1 15 an elevation.

Figure 2 is an elevation at right angles to Figure 1. Figure 3 is a section taken 'on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

1929. Serial No. 878,955.

Referring to the drawings, the advertising sign is illustrated as comprising a plate 2- of crystal glass which has an advertising portion 3 recessed or cut into the back of the plate of glass, preferably by sand-blasting. This recessed portion may be painted with a white luminous paint which will assist in making the advertising legend visible both when illuminated and when not illuminated. The

plate of crystal glass 2 is placed against a tion 6 having a rectangular frame-like web 7 the bottom edge of which is engaged by spaced apart pedestal members 8.

Within the housing 5 there is provided a transformer 9 supplied by current from lead wires 10. The transformer 9 supplies high voltage alternating current to the electrodes 11 of a luminous tube 12 of the neon type.

By a neon type tube it is intended to include all of those Geisler tubes filled with neon, helium, argon, etc., or mixtures of the same, these tubes generally containing about 7 to 10 millimeters pressure of gas, 85 percent of which is neon and 15 percent of which is helium. The major portion of the neon type tube is bent around the plate 2 of crystal glass as a border therefor and the tube therefrom extends into the housing 5 where it is provided with electrodes 11 connecting with the transformer 9.

In order to support the plate 2 on the housing and to hold the luminous tube 12 in proper position, there are provided brackets 15 at each of the corners of the plate 2. The brackets 15 have a general triangular shaped face 16 and are provided with marginal flanges 17 extending around the corners of the plate 2. There are "also provided on the brackets fingers 18 which extend outward and are turned around the luminous tube 9. An opening 19 is provided in the bracket by which screws 20 or other attaching means are passed through the bracket and plate of crystal glass and hence into the housing 5.

Great difliculty and expense is involved in drilling holes through plate and crystal glass, such as the plate 2, and generally, this process causes the corners of. the plate to be broken away, as indicated at 21. The bracket serves .not only the purpose of properly supporting in position the tube 9 and plate 2,

' ut also servesv to cover the'broken corners of the plate.

By constructing the housing supportingmeans of the plate 2 and tube 9 of insulating material, it is unnecessary to space these parts far from the housing as would otherwise be required. Where a neon type of tube is mounted in front of a conducting material,

for safety, it isgenerally required to bedisposed about 1% inches from the adjacent conducting arts. -If such an arrangementis provided or the advertising device of the present invention, a device less pleasing in appearance is produced. -The advertising de vice is more pleasing in appearance when the plate 2 and tube 9 are closely disposed against the housing 5. a Y

. In operation the light is generated by the gas in the tube 9, giving a rectangular border around the plate 2 of crystal glass. The light passes" through the edges of the plate 2, strik' mg the walls of the recessed matter 3, rendering these luminous. The result is that a Si of attractive appearanceis provided.

ile the particular form of advertising device herein described is well adapted to carryout the objects of. the present invention, it is to be understood that various modificationsand changesmay be made without departing from the invention and the invention includes all such modifications and changes as comewithin the scope of the appended claims.

We claim: 7 p

-1. An advertising device comprising a plate of crystalglass having recessed therein advertising material, and a neon type of tube substantially surrounding the edges of said plate of crystal glass whereby the light from the luminous gas of said tube will pass edgeways through the plate of crystal glass and illuminate the advertising matter recessed edgeways through the plates for illuminating the recessed display matter. v

3. An advertising device comprising a plate of crystal glass having display, matter recessed therein, a dark backing p ate for said plate of crystal glass, said backing plate being formed of insulating material, and a surrounding border of the neon type of luminous tubes at the edge of said plate of crystal glass,

said luminous tube being in position to pass light edgeways'into the plate of crystal glass.

4. An advertising device comprising a housing of insulating material, a dark backing plate mounted on said housing, a plate plate of crystal glass mounted therein andv having display matter recessed therein, a neon type of luminous tube surrounding the edges of said plate of crystal glass, and triangular brackets at the corners of said plate of crystal glass covering a portion of the corners and edges of the plate of crystal glass, said brackets also having fingers holding the luminous tubes in proper spaced relation to the plate of crystal glam.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 28th day of June, 1929; 3 HARRY TOWNSEND FENSOM.

RAYMOND GREEN.

therein and the neon tube will form a luminous border for the sign.

2. An advertising device comprising a plate of crystal glass having recessed therein providing display matter, and a neon type of luminous tube surrounding the edges of the plate of crystal glass, thereby forming a border therefor and being adapted to pass light from the luminous gas of said tubes 

